Thousands of small scale farmers in India commit suicide, because they can no longer solve their debt problems. Two decades ago they took up ‘modern’ farming and with the help of government subsidies they started growing commercial crops. In the beginning harvests were good, but as time went on, the financial support of the government decreased more and more. The farmers were forced to obtain even bigger loans to pay for the expensive new seeds,
fertiliser, and pesticides. Repeated failed harvests now force them into despair.
Millions of poor farmers however have turned their backs on modern agriculture in order to bring new life to their traditional ways of farming. With a lot of success! The surprisingly good results are due to a combination of working together intensively, and the masterly combining of traditional seeds.
Sammamma Begari, a small women farmer from the South-Indian village of Bidakanne proudly states: “We have our own crops. They provide for us and our children. We certainly don’t want to loose them again”. Her friend Chandramma Molegeri added: “Our own agriculture is wonderful. I can’t think of anything better. We don’t have to turn to anyone for help. On the contrary, we work with gold. We harvest gold!”
Dutch subtitled version (http://www.archive.org/details/MoederAardeEenToekomstVoorKleineBoeren ) and Extensive interview with P.V. Satheesh, director of the Deccan Development Society, (South-India) are also available on this website. http://www.archive.org/details/FarmersAutonomyAndWinningTheBattleAgainstPoverty

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Extra on DVD: Dutch subtitled version and Extensive interview with P.V. Satheesh, director of the Deccan Development Society, (South-India).
DVD; 16:9 anamorphic; documentary; recorded in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Language: Telegu and English; English subtitled; Dutch subtitled

Produced by XTV-films and Llink, with the support of NCDO and Thuiskopiefonds
© XTV-films/Llink; 2007; paul@paulenkelaarfilms.nl; tel: + 31 6 2507 8582


This movie is part of the collection: Community Video

Director: Produced and directed by Paul Enkelaar, Jan Paul Smit and Manuel Reichert
Producer: Paul Enkelaar, Jan Paul Smit and Manuel Reichert
Production Company: xtv film & Llink
Audio/Visual: sound, color
Keywords: women; rural developement; small farmers; poor peasants;
Contact Information: paul@paulenkelaarfilms.nl; tel: + 31 6 2507 8582

Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Netherlands

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